Our Federal System of Government
Session 20: Executive Branch and Policy Making

Materials

• Textbook
  Transparency: “Duties and Actions of the Executive Branch” (Attachment K)

Instructional Activities

1. Post the student webs on the bulletin board or the classroom walls until the unit test. Ask each student to stand and explain one of the presidential roles that he or she illustrated. (Make sure all of the roles are discussed.)
   
   
2. Display the transparency of “Duties and Actions of the Executive Branch” (Attachment K) and briefly describe the President's responsibilities in relation to the roles the students have described.
   
   
3. Explain that since the President cannot introduce laws, he or she must influence a member of Congress to do so. One of the most important opportunities to do this is during the State of the Union address. Students will study more about this tomorrow.
   
   
4. Explain that, in addition to carrying out federal laws, the President is the head of the world’s largest bureaucracy. Define bureaucracy. Explain that later in this unit students will study the various parts of the Executive Branch and how they carry out laws.